Editorial
Raining club announcements
While I've been away from my desk, sunning myself and sipping Margs, my colleagues have been inundated with club announcements. They are raining down. Do I feel guilt for having abandoned them at this busy time? A little.
During my leave, I've managed to swerve news of Pacha's three day, four party Grand Opening Weekend. Marco Carola, Solomun, ANOTR, Mau P, BLOND:ISH and Gordo are all booked between 24 and 26 April.
The Night League's three venues also confirmed openings for the same weekend.
In a mix up to the usual format, Hï Ibiza gets the ball rolling on Saturday, followed by Ushuaïa and then [UNVRS] on Sunday.
Away from the pack, Amnesia holds its own curtain-raiser on Saturday, 9 May. Always a big one, this year will feel especially significant, as the club celebrates its 50th anniversary. Amnesia delivered the news with a defiant cry of "Ibiza changed. We didn't."
I can't remember a bigger week for announcements. Sorry guys. Thanks for covering.
Partying together is the glue that binds us
This past weekend, I swapped the Balearics for the Canaries. Temporarily, at least. A mid-winter getaway to Tenerife was on the cards. The troops had been rallied to celebrate ex-Spotlighter Holly's thirtieth birthday.
It proved no mean feat conjuring mass enthusiasm, not to mention sufficient funds, in deepest, darkest January. The chief organiser was worthy of her standing ovation. Not least for patching the inevitable late drop-out spots with eleventh-hour recruits.
Ten minutes outside of Playa de las Americas, 16-bedroom Villa Ginevra would be our base camp for the weekend.
Complete with private pool, barbecue facilities, hot tubs, steam room, table tennis and a soundproofed cinema room which could double up as a disco, it was the ideal containment zone for 31 adults who should really know better, but just can't help themselves.
The booth would see action from DJs Woulfe, Garcia, Back2Jack and others, including impromptu back-to-back sets and occasional mic work from hype man Milli. You might not find them on any Ibiza line-ups (yet), but who knows what lies in store in years to come?
It wasn't all non-stop partying. There were wholesome activities too.
A visit to Siam Water Park gave us our adrenaline fix, while a black-tie event on Saturday saw a private chef and his team arrive to cook a two-course fine-dining experience. Huge thanks go to another Spotlight alumnus, Michael, for capturing the key moments on camera.
The last night always called for a big ending - and we were determined to bow out in style.
Ultimately, all good things must come to an end. Three days passed by in the blink of an eye.
Save for the token teetotaller, the cumulative effect of 72 hours of partying and little sleep weighs heavily on the group.
I'm paying penance for my sins and shall carry the debt for a while. As I type this, I'm just about keeping an emotional breakdown at arm's length. The next few days consist of darkened rooms, rehydration and sleep. Lots of sleep.
Would I change any of it though? Not at all. I can't remember ever laughing as much.
We bonded and we're closer than ever. Zero drama, just immaculate vibes from start to finish.
There's nothing better than going on holiday with your mates - a timely reminder to get your Ibiza break booked. With pay day on the horizon, it's time to fire up the group chat. After you've finished reading this, head to this article on our rental partners, Privadia Homes & Ibiza Villas 2000.
On a personal level, this weary clubber proved that he can still dig deep and pull a three-day bender out of his locker.
That bodes well, should the situation present itself in the forthcoming season.
A significant period of abstinence now calls. Dry January was never going to happen. Dry February, though? Much more palatable. At only 28 days, it feels achievable, while any leftover Christmas booze has finally gone, removing temptation.
If all goes to plan, I'll be in tip-top fighting condition for the start of summer. Just in time for all my pals to visit me. All 30 of them, at various intervals from May to October. Although my liver may disagree, I can't wait. Partying together is the glue that binds us.
Forgive me, but after a few days off, my inbox is in dire need of attention. There will be more musings next week.
If you'd like to continue the conversation and access all the unfiltered gossip, head to our online forum, sign-up and tell us what you've heard on the grapevine!
For everything confirmed and carved in stone, give our magazine a visit.
Finally, you can find tickets and listings on our essential party calendar.
HEADER IMAGE | by Michael Tomlinson
